Sputtering systems are extensively used in the electronic industry for depositing thin films of material upon substrates. These systems frequently include an evacuable chamber, a cathode assembly, an anode which can simply be the inside walls of the chamber, and a target attached to the cathode assembly. In operation, a substrate to be coated is placed within the chamber opposite the target. The chamber is exacuated to a low pressure and a suitable gas is introduced throughout the chamber. A suitable power supply is then utilized to apply an R.F. or D.C. potential between the cathode and anode thereby generating ions that accelerate toward the cathode assembly striking the target with sufficient energy to cause the target to partially vaporize. The vaporized target material diffuses throughout the chamber and deposits in the form of a thin film on the substrate.
Occasionally, it is necessary to raise or lower the target with respect to the substrate or to rotate the target to a particular angular position to achieve a desired effect. Prior art target support mechanisms have sometimes included several vertically disposed threaded studs arranged in a circle, each having an adjusting nut threaded thereon. A ring member, from which the target is suspended, has clearance holes formed therein to correspond to the position of the studs. The ring member is arranged with its under surface resting on the adjusting nuts and the studs projecting through the clearance holes. With this arrangement, the adjusting nuts are turned in one direction or the other a given number of turns to cause the ring member and thereby the target to raise or lower as desired. To properly effect this adjustment each nut in seriatim must be turned a small but equal amount until all of the nuts are in their new postions. This procedure is quite time consuming. Further, a problem may arise should one of the nuts be turned too far with respect to the other nuts. Generally, the target is disposed within the vacuum chamber and the target support mechanism is disposed outside of the vacuum chamber, with a cylindrical shaped collar being provided as a feed through. The target is attached to one end of the collar and the ring member to the other end of the collar. The outside diameter of the collar being very smooth passes through an "O" ring vacuum seal associated with the vacuum chamber. With this type of structure turning one of the adjusting nuts too far with respect to the others causes the target and support collar to tilt somewhat resulting in scratches or nicks occurring in the smooth outer surface of the support collar. Needless to say that such scratches and nicks will destroy the vacuum sealing capability of the device. What is desired is the capability to assure that all adjusting nuts are turned an equal amount when adjustment is made to the height of the target.